Mooring device



E. LEZAK MOORING DEVICE March 4, 1969 Sheet :4

Filed Dec. 11, 1967 I N VEN TOR. EDWARD LEZAK ATTORNEY E. LEZAK MOORING DEVICE Mafch 4, 1969 Sheet Filed Dec. 11, 1967 INVENTOR. EDWARD LEZAK ATTORNEY E. LEZAK MOORING DEVICE Mafch 4, 1969 Sheet Filed D60. 11, 1967 INVENTOR. EDWARD LEZAK ATTORNEY March 4, 1969 E. LEZAK 3,430,599

. MOORING DEVICE Filed Dec. 11, 1967 Sheet 4 of 4 7 's\... v. f1

i E' .5 INVENIOR. EDWARD LEZAK W w bzv ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,430,599 MOORING DEVICE Edward Lezak, 50 E. Barclay St, Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Filed Dec. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 689,517 US. Cl. 114-230 7 Claims Int. Cl. B63b 21/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mooring device for securing boats to a dock including a bendable boom that is extendable over the water. The boom is operated from the dock and includes structure for securing a boat to it. The boom includes a mechanism to cause it to bend intermediate its ends. As the boom bends it moves the boat towards and away from the dock.

The present invention relates to a mooring system for securing boats and the like to a dock, sea wall, pier and other land connected mooring facilities and particularly to a mooring device having a foldable and adjustable length boom.

Wave action, storm conditions, wind and tide have a pronounced effect upon the position and attitude of a boat when docked. The safety of a docked boat depends almost entirely upon the strength and security afforded by its moorings and the extent of damage to the boat which may be caused by storm, wind and tide is minimized by a secure mooring.

Mooring devices for small boats must enable the boat to rise or fall with the corresponding movement of the tide as well as to permit the boat to roll and pitch to compensate for changes in wave patterns. Thus a large degree of vertical movement must be provided. It is, however, preferred to limit or entirely eliminate the ability of the boat to travel or to move bodily on the water in a plane parallel thereto or transverse to the dock. Any such travel, even slight, greatly increases the possibility that the boat will contact the pier or dock or become loose from the mooring, drift and overturn in high seas or storms.

In applicants copending applications, Ser. No. 689,513 and Ser. No. 689,518 filed on Dec. 11, '1967, there are shown docking devices for small boats.

It is, of course, most desirable to provide a mooring which is rugged and sturdy of construction but which is simple to operate and manipulate. Manipulation is preferred from the pier or dock rather than from the boat and it must be possible to vary this distance between boat and dock so as to compensate for the roughness of tide, wind and wave and to enable the boat to be brought close to the pier for boarding.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a novel mooring device having a normally fixed boom in which the above adverse factors as well as the desired virtues of adjustability are amply provided for.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a mooring device which may be easily installed in any existing pier, dock or other facility.

It is another specific object of this invention to provide a mooring device having a foldable boom and means for securing a boat thereto and means by which the boom may be extended including the provision of means to operate the boom from dockside to vary the distance between boat and dock.

It is another specific object to provide a mooring device having a boom which is fixed against all but vertical movement to thereby prevent horizontal transverse and rotary movement of the boat on the water.

It is another object to provide a mooring device having an extendable boom employing a novel means for fixedly connecting the boat to the boom so as to prevent unwanted travel.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a mooring device having a boom pivotally fixed to the dock and foldable substantially midway of its length when it is desired to draw the boat toward the dock.

It is a further object to provide a device having a foldable boom as indicated which is in addition extendable enabling the boat to be moored further from the dock, including means for operating the extendable boom from dockside either when the boom is straight or bent,

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a docked boat showing the mooring devices of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line 22 of FIG. 1 showing a device in use;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the device taken in the direction of line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, partially sectioned of the device;

FIG. 5 is another plan view partially sectioned of the device;

FIG. 6 is a view of the latch mechanism employed in this device;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view partially sectioned taken of the circled portion of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is an elevational view along line 99 of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a boat 10 moored to a dock 12 by a pair or set of mooring devices made according to the present invention generally designated 14. The advantages sought by the present invention are best obtained by the combined use of a pair or set of mooring devices 14 one at the bow and one at the stern of the boat as shown. The devices are identical, except that they are left and right sides or opposite hand images of each other and, therefore, in the remaining figures only one is shown which will be described in detail.

Each mooring device 14 comprises a mounting bracket 16 secured to the dock, formed of a pair of steel plates welded, forged or otherwise secured together at right angles to each other to provide a vertical bulkhead 18 and a horizontal base 20. The mounting bracket 16 may be made of steel, aluminum or any other suitable rigid and strong material and may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the dock in any suitable and convenient manner.

Secured at the ends of the bracket 16 are a pair of vertical plate-like members 22 extending vertical from the base 20 between which is pivotally fastened the rear end of a boom 24, the front end of which extends outwardly over the water. The plates 22 are preferably rigid metallic members for strength and durability, although suitable channel or stock material may also be employed.

Referring more specifically to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the boom 24 is split into a rearward portion 26 and a forward portion 28, connected by hinge 30, so as to fold or bend upwardly substantially midway of its length in a plane vertical to the surface of the dock. The rearward boom portion 26 is generally rectangular in shape, having a pair of opposed vertically oriented side walls 32, a rear wall 34 and a joining substantially rigid deck surface 36. The forward boom portion 28 is generally tapered or conical in shape, having a pair of opposed converging vertically oriented side walls 38 which at their outer ends 40 become aligned parallel to each other and which are joined on their upper edges by a transverse bracket member 42. As with the rearward boom portion 26, the forward portion 28 is provided with a rigid deck surface 44 joining the wall portions 38. The hinge 30 is provided along the rearward edge of the forward portion and the forward edge of the rearward portion, which, as shown, need not be provided with a vertical wall. This construction provides a rigid boom which in conjunction with the mounting bracket 16 is fixed against any horizontal movement in a plane generally parallel to the dock or water surface.

It will be observed by specific reference now to FIG. 3, that the side walls 40, the upper bracket member 42 and the deck 44, cooperate to form a tubular mouth at the extreme outer end of the boom 24. Fixed, as by spot welding or other conventional means, within the mouth and extending rearwardly to the rear end of the boom 24 is a rectangular tubular sleeve 46. The sleeve 46 is further securely fixed as with additional bracket 42a to the deck 44- of the forward boom portion 28 so as to move conjointly therewith on the bending of the boom 24 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. The bracket 42a extends transversely of the deck 44 and is welded thereto for its stability as well as to reinforce the boom portion 28. The sleeve 46 is not fixed to the rearward boom portion 26 but is seatable and retainable thereon against both horizontal and vertical movement when the entire boom 24 is in extended position by means of a locking device comprising a plurality of hook type brackets 48 having an elongated transversely aligned base bracket 48a welded to the deck 36 on opposite sides of the sleeve 46 and a bolt 50 suitably secured to the top surface of the sleeve 46. The bolt 50 is slidably supported in straps 51 on the sleeve 46 to move into and out of locking engagement with the locking brackets 48 by operation of handle 52 located near the rear end of sleeve 46.

Fitted within the sleeve 46, in telescoping fashion, is a tubular inner extension arm 54 to the outer end of which is secured a boat latching mechanism generally identified by numeral 56. The inner end of extension arm 54 is capped with a nut member 58 (FIG. having an axial threaded bore through which is engagingly threaded an elongated screw member 60. At the forward end of the screw 60 there is provided a guide and stop member 62 limiting rearward turning of the screw and at the rearward end there is provided suitable bearing means 64 fixed within sleeve 46 so that the screw 60 may be mounted for free rotation within the arm 54. A bevel gear 66 is fixed to the extreme rearward end of the screw 60 so that upon rotation thereof the screw 60 is caused to reciprocate the extension arm 54 within the sleeve 46, consequently extending or retracting the effective length of the boom 24 from positions inwardly and outwardly thereof.

Returning now to the rearward end of the boom 24, it is again noted that this end is pivotally mounted to the side plates 22. This mounting as seen in detail in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8 comprises a cylindrical hollow axle 68 extending transversely of the rear boom portion 26 through and fixed by interlocking keyways, of conventional manner, to the opposed side walls 32 of the rearward boom portion 26 so as to be conjointly moveable therewith. The ends of the axle 68, freely journalled in bearing openings 70 formed in each of the side plates 22 and retained from endwise and relative movement thereto by locking collars 128 is provided at one end with an encircling gear 72 secured or keyed thereto by which the axle 68 may be driven. Connected to gear 72 by suitable intermediate driving gearing 74, 74a and 74b is an electric motor 124, handle 76 journalled upon the motor shaft 124 and mounted for free rotation in suitable bearings in plate 22 on an attached support housing 77. Gear 74 is rigidly coupled at 126 to the electric motor 124 and handle 76, while gears 74a and 7411 are keyed to a parallel separate shaft also journalled in plate 22 and support 77, all in conventional manner. Operation of handle 76 or the motor 124 causes gearing 74 to 72 to rotate the axle 68 about its own longitudinal axis, consequently pivoting the boom 24 when locked (by bolt 50) in any pivoting plane vertical to the surface of the dock 12, as seen in solid lines in FIG. 2, or when unlocked into various vertically folded position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. '2. Clockwise rotation of handle 76 or the electric motor 124 causes counterclockwise or downward movement of the boom while counterclockwise rotation of handle 74 on the motor 124 will result in clockwise or upward rotation of the boom as will be seen by following the arrows in FIG. 8.

The axle 68 furthermore provides the housing through which the boom extension member 54 may be operated. Extending through the axle 68 is an elongated solid rod 78 supported by suitable bearing means 80 spaced within the axle 68. Centrally of rod 78 there is fixed or keyed a bevel gear 82 which meshes with bevel gear 66 keyed to the end of the extension arm operating screw 60. The surface of hollow axle 68 is cut away along a portion of its central length 84 so as to accommodate the tapered free rear end 86 of the elongated sleeve 46 and to accommodate the bevel gears 82 and 66. As will also be seen in the dotted line portion of FIG. 2, the rear end 86 of sleeve 46 angularly cuts from its top to bottom to facilitate its mating with the axle 68. Removably attached to the end of rod 78 is a handle 88 which by manual rotation effects the consequential reciprocation of the extension arm 54 as described.

To permit operation of the screw 60 in order to reciprocate extension arm 54,When the boom 24 is folded and the sleeve 46 maintained above the level of the dock, an independent gearing arrangement is provided. This gear ing comprises a bevel gear 90 keyed to the screw 60 in a position short of the extreme rearward end 86 within the sleeve 46 and a cooperating bevel gear 92 keyed to the end of an operating rod 94 freely journalled in a housing 96 built on the sleeve 46. The detachable handle 88 is adapted to be used on rod 94 and may be thusly so employed to rotate screw 60 when the boom 24 is bent or folded, as for example in the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

In order to control the pivoting of the boom about the axis of the axle 68, there is provided a locking mechanism shown in detail in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. This locking mechanism is designed to permit the movement of the boom under manual operation of handle 76 or the electric motor 124, as well as to permit free and unrestricted vertical pivoting between the positions A and B (FIG. 2), as for example in response to the rise and fall of the tide. This mechanism is further designed to lock the boom against pivoting movement in any position whether folded or extended, so that the boom may be prevented, for example, from falling into the water when no boat is attached thereto.

The locking mechanism comprises a first ratchet wheel 112 keyed to a shaft journalled in side plate 22 and support housing 77 parallel to the shafts holding gears 74, 74a, 74b and 72 of the axle 68 drive mechanism. The ratchet wheel 112 is intermeshed with the drive gear 74 so as to rotate conjointly therewith. Associated with ratchet wheel 112 is a cooperating two-faced ratchet dog 114 which is connected to a lever 116 by a connecting rod journalled in the supporting members similarly as are the aforementioned gear shafts. Ratchet dog 114 when placed in a neutral location via lever 116 permits ratchet gear 112 to rotate freely. The handle 116, however, permits fixed alternate location of the ratchet dog faces into engagement with the teeth of wheel 112 as desired. By moving the handle 116 forward as seen in FIG. 9, to the position labelled F, the front face of the dog 114 is caused to engage the wheel 112 and prevent forward or downward movement of the boom. This forward locking is accomplished since, if the boom were to move in a downward manner, the driving gear 74 would have had to be driven in a clockwise manner, thereby turning ratchet wheel 112'to which it is interconnected in a counterclockwise manner. But, since the front face of ratchet dog 114 is in engagement with the teeth of the wheel 112, this counterclockwise movement of the wheel 112 is prevented and consequently all downward movement of boom is likewise prevented.

Reverse or upward movement of the boom is not prevented when the lever 116 is in the F position since the ratchet dog will slip over the teeth of wheel 112 when driving gear 74 is cranked counterclockwise and wheel 112 clockwise. It will be obvious that by reversing the lever to the position .indicated R, the boom will be locked against upward movement but allow downward movement by causing ratchet dog 114 to permit the movement of wheel 112 in a clockwise direction. The label N signifies a neutral position for the ratchet dog 114 which would of course permit free pivoting of boom 24 as for response to falling or rising tide.

To completely lock the drive mechanism against all movement, there is provided a control mechanism which is adapted to act in conjunction with the locking mechanism. The control mechanism comprises a second ratchet wheel 118, a second ratchet dog 120 and a lever 122 all arranged, located and journalled in a manner similar to the corresponding ratchet wheel 112, dog 114 and lever 116 of the locking mechanism, except that wheel 118 is adapted to intermesh with wheel 112 and the remaining parts are offset in parallel relationship. Handle 122 is adapted to move the ratchet dog 120 in to a forward locking position signified FL in which its front face engages the wheel 118 to a reverse locking position RL in which its rear face engages wheel 118 and to a neutral position N.

By placing the lever 122 in forward or reverse position corresponding to the position of lever 116 of the locking mechanism, the dog 120 will cause wheel 118 to lock the entire drive mechanism against movement in the one direction which was permitted by the locking device. For example, if in the locking mechanisms the lever 116 is in forward position, downward movement of the boom is prevented but upward movement is permitted, as explained hereinbefore. In this situation ratchet wheel 112 is allowed clockwise movement and consequently intermeshing wheel 118 will turn counterclockwise. However, by placing the lever 122 of the control mechanism in FL position, the front face of ratchet dog 120 will engage wheel 118 preventing its counterclockwise rotation. By train of events, therefore, no ratchet wheel or gear can operate. Similarly, it will be obvious that the reversal of the positions of the respective dogs will accomplish the exact same effect of locking the boom against all movement even when the boom is in locked extended position or when the boom is in any operational angular folding position.

The locking mechanism and the control mechanism must be maintained out of phase in a neutral position.

However, to permit the boom to pivot freely in both up and down vertical directions, :both levers 116 and 122 must be maintained in neutral position, keeping both the locking mechanism and the control mechanism from interfering with the rotation of all gears 74, 74a, 74b, 72, 112 and 118 when in free vertical pivoting.

It will be appreciated that operation of the locking and control mechanism is independent of whether axle 68 is driven through cranking of handle 76 or movement of the boom itself. Further, the raising or lowering of the boom and/or its locking is also independent of whether a boat is attached thereto and may all be accomplished at the selection of the operator. Still further, it will be clear that the boom when folded or extended may be locked against up or down movement or both no matter what the position-or attitude of the boom is at the time of locking.

Completing the boom arrangement is a pair of elongated resilient or spring-like tension members 98, each secured at one end to the upper surface of deck 44 and at the other end to the upper surface of deck 36. Since the hinge 30 joins the two boom portions along their lower surfaces, the resilient tension members 98 act to maintain the boom 24 normally biased in extended outward direction, thus insuring that the two portions do not undesirably bend even if the locking means 48 and 50 is inadvertently opened.

Having thus described the construction of the present mooring device, its operation will be readily apparent. By maintaining the bolt 50 and hook bracket 48 in locked position, the boom may be pivoted in its entirety about the axis of axle 68 into any desired position, including completely reversing its position so that it would extend backwardly over the dock rather than over the water. Of course, the extreme vertical position and/ or the reverse position will preferably be attempted without a boat secured to the end of the boom. By opening the bolt 50 and hook bracket 48 locking mechanism, the boom may be also pivoted upwardly by operation of the electric motor 124 and the handle 76. However, in this instance with a boat attached or other weight exerted on the forward portion 28, the two portions of the boom will fold at hinge 30, and fold upwardly in a plane vertical to the dock 12 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. Since the rearward boom portion 26 can be made to pivot fully in the backward direction the two boom portions can be made to assume a variety of angular positions. With a boat attached, the front boom portion 28 may carry the boat to the clock 12 as shown in FIG. 2. Without a boat attached, the front boom portion 28 may be made to overlie, in folded fashion, the rear boom portion 26 on the deck in a manner which, while not shown, would be obvious.

Of course, all folding and pivotal operation of the boom is accomplished at dockside since the forward and reversible electric motor 124 and handle 76 control means are all journalled in the supporting standard 16 thereat. Thus, the boat 10 can be secured at dockside and moved outwardly into the water for longer mooring and at a later time retrieved. Further, the position from dock to boat may be easily varied by extending arm 54.

Since the boom can be made to freely pivot to the side plates of the standard 16, it will rise and fall, with the action of the changing tides and waves, upon the boat. While we have, however, shown here suitable means by which the boom may be locked against vertical movement somewhat simpler means may be substituted. For example, a spring attached between the mounting bracket 16 and the boom 24 as shown in the aforementioned companion application or spiral springs wound about axle 68 or a limiting pin or rod fixed below the boom to engage with the base 20 or plates 22 may all be employed. Other locking :means may also be employed for selectively securing the motor 124 and handle 76 or gearing 72, 72a, 72b and 74, which locks the pivot, in order to fix the folding and pivotal position of the boom 24 as desired.

Operation of the boom extension 54 may be effected either with or without a boat attached and whether the boom is folded or in extended position. When the boom 24 is in extended lock position, the handle 88 is attached to rod 78; however, when the boom is folded, .as in dotted lines in FIG. 2, the handle 88 must be attached to rod 94 for operation of the arm 54. The extension arm 54 is thus, also, operable at all times from the dockside whether or not the boom is extended or folded. It will be further obvious that arm 54 permits a boat attached to the latch mechanism 56 to be moved further toward and away bers 104 are adapted to receive and retain for universal movement a ball hitch 110. A wing nut screw device 111 is employed to fasten the two leaf members 104 securely about the ball hitch 110. This type of latch mechanism provides substantially universal movement and is thus eminently suitable for use as a boat fastening means. This latch mechanism, however, requires that the boat be provided with a ball hitch fixture or other similar device adapted to be received by the socket and groove of the mechanism 56. Since this is not always possible, a more universal latch mechanism such as clasp hooks, tie lines, etc. may be employed in place of or even in conjunction with the mechanism shown.

The latch mechanism shown is to be preferred since the ball and groove hitch permits the boat 10 to be moved with the type of folding boom shown, from an extreme position to the dock 12 (as in FIG. 2) without any twisting or turning of boat or latch. It will be observed also that this preferred type of latch mechanism permits only a limited degree of movement allowing the boat to roll and pitch with the changes in tide and waves but not to travel horizontally as discussed.

In summary, it will thus be seen that there has been provided a mooring device which because of its normally or fixed boom construction prevents horizontal or surface travel or movement of the boat when secured to it. However, because of its pivotal mounting, the secured boat is permitted a large degree of pitch and rolling movement. Furthermore, because of the pivotal mounting of the boom, vertical changes in the level of water, caused, for example, by changing tides, may be automatically compensated for without interfering in any way with the otherwise and fixed securement of the boat against travel.

Additionally is the fact that the position of the boat, with respect to the dock, may be adjusted and varied by both the foldable boom and the extendable arm operable from the dock. The prime advantage lies in the provision of a foldable boom which may be operated from the dock into a variety of vertical and/ or folded positions out of the way of the boat docking area and of the boat's area or movement.

It is obvious that various other modifications, as well as the use of other parts may be made in the present device while remaining well within the scope of the present invention. For example, the boom base may be made of Fiberglas or wood rather than metal, the latch may be clasp mechanisms rather than ball hitches. An important feature resides in the use of a forward and reversible electric motor with the manual crank using the same shaft to operate the folding and pivoting of the boom. Also, in the aforementioned companion application, there is described certain detailed mechanisms which may be employed herein under certain circumstances which should be readily obvious. Other modifications will be readily apparent to all those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is seen that the invention fully accomplishes its intended objects.

What is claimed is:

1. A mooring device for securing a boat to a dock or the like comprising, a support having a pair of vertical spaced members, an elongated fixed boom having a forward portion, a rearward portion, a transverse hinge connecting said portions, and resilient means for normally restraining said boom against folding, latch means connected to the outer end of said forward portion for securing a boat thereto and means for pivotally mounting said boom to said support comprising a tubular axle secured transversely tosaid boom at the extreme rearward end thereof and journalled in said vertical support members for free rotation therein, said axle being provided with gear means located on said support and 0perable to rotate said axle and pivot said boom thereabout and cause said boom to fold about said hinge to vary the distance of said boat to said dock.

2. The device according to claim 1, including means to selectively lock the mentioned gear means against rotation comprising second gear means intermeshed with said mentioned gears and a dog operably movable into engagement therewith, and said gear lock to selectively lock said boom in any angular folding position and extended vertical position and permitting the boom to pivot freely vertically as with the rise and fall of the tide.

3. The device according to claim 1, including an elongated tubular sleeve fixed to said forward portion of said boom and extending rearwardly over said rearward portion of said boom, an elongated arm mounted for reciprocal movement within said sleeve adapted to move from a position inwardly thereof to a position outwardly thereof, said latch being mounted to the outward end of said tube, and means for moving said arm between said positions whereby'the effective length of said boom may be selectively varied.

4. The device according to claim 3, including means for detachably securing the rearward end of said sleeve to the rearward portion of said boom, thereby preventing Said boom from folding movement about said hinge.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein said arm comprises a hollow tube having a threaded nut member secured therein at its inward end and the means for reciprocating said arm comprises an elongated screw engaging said nut, said screw being rotatably journalled axially within the outer sleeve and extending rearwardly of said boom, said screw having a pair of tandemly arranged gears secured thereto adjacent its inward end, means extending through the axle of said boom journalled in the supporting member for rotating the most inward gear and means extending through the outer sleeve for rotating said other gear thereby effecting rotation of said screw alternately from said support member or said sleeve.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the latch comprises a pair of leaf members, hinge means connecting said leaf members along an edge thereof, and fastening means for securing said leaf members together, the inner surfaces of each of said leaf members being cooperatingly grooved to receive and retain a correspondingly formed hitch member secured to said boat.

7. The device according to claim 1, including manual means and forward and reversible electric motor means to rotate said gear means at said support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,640,534 6/1953 Coffing 114230 X 3,157,150 11/1964 Faber 114-230 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,073,558 3/1954 France.

TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner. 

